playgrounds

CORNWALL will be one of the best places in mainland Britain to see the solar eclipse on Wednesday.

Ahead of the big day, my husband Paul, our daughter Lexi and I headed down in search of a quiet place to stay.

We found it half an hour along the coast at Silver Sands Holiday Park in Gwendreath — small, beautifully landscaped and far enough off the beaten track to ensure some much-needed peace.

After an easy check-in, we made our way around the park to our new Signature Cove Lodge.

It occupied a corner plot and had a large private garden, with enough room for a hot tub and hammock.

The two-bedroom lodges can comfortably accommodate a family of four.

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While the mezzanine room was pretty tight for our particularly tall 12-year-old, it would be ideal for smaller children.

The lodge was full of all the mod cons you’d hope for, including a fully equipped kitchen, TVs in the master bedroom and sitting room, and super-fast wifi.

There was also a wicker hamper with scones and jam on the kitchen counter, and robes and slippers in the bathroom.

As well as the lodges, you can book a static caravan and camp.

There is also a children’s play park that is suitable for under-14s, as well as another play area for younger kids, with outdoor kitchens and a large sandpit.

We spent many hours in our hot tub, where the only sounds were the birds and the occasional laugh from the children playing.

It’s the sort of spot where you could sit out on eclipse night with a drink and not have to share the view with anyone.

And while we could have stayed there all day, it was nice to get out and explore the area.

Kennack Sands is an easy ten-minute walk through woods from the site.

It’s a lovely beach for children as it’s sandy, nicely sheltered and there are endless rock pools to explore.

And you are in safe hands there, as RNLI lifeguards are on duty from mid-May to the end of September.

We had a lovely walk and sea dip and, as the water is so warm right now, it was like being in the Mediterranean.

There are also two cafes on the beach, in case you haven’t brought your own snacks and drinks.

A 20-minute drive took us to the Lizard Peninsula, Britain’s most southerly point.

Being this far south is exactly why the area will be so well placed for the eclipse. The further south-west you are, the more the sun will disappear behind the moon.

We spent a couple of hours exploring the many gift shops and taking in the views across the English Channel.

On the way back to Silver Sands, we stopped off at Cadgwith Cove — a traditional fishing village known for its thatched cottages and crabbing boats.

Paul was happy with a pint at the Cadgwith Cove Inn while Lexi and I explored the harbour.

And after a busy day taking in the sights, we were happy to return to our lodge and enjoy the sound of silence.

Before heading home, we drove into Falmouth, which is the place to be on Wednesday.

The Royal Navy Parachute Display Team, AeroSuperBatics Wingwalkers and the Flying Comrades will all take to the air above the bay from 6pm, just as the moon covers 95 per cent of the sun.

Visitors can enjoy it all from a choice of vantage points, including Pendennis Castle, Gyllyngvase Beach and the lawns of The Falmouth Hotel.
And best of all, this display event will be free.

It’s all part of Falmouth Week, the town’s ten-day sailing festival, which runs until next Sunday.

So head down to Silver Sands this week and get a beach holiday and a once-in-a-lifetime sky show for the price of one.

A MUCH-LOVED playground is set to reopen TOMORROW after a multi-million refurb.

Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens in London, will reopen on August 5 with a new 17metre by 12metre Galleon on a sandy beach.

The Galleon also has two crow’s nests to climb, a large tunnel slide and a play telescope.

Inside the ship, there is a kitchen and lots of nooks and crannies ideal for a game of hide and seek.

Other parts of the £3million playground upgrade include a “treehouse of dreams”, which has three different climbing towers and a four metre tunnel slide.

The free-to-visit park also now has an accessible walkway, talk tubes, musical instruments and games such as tic-tac-toe.

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Ideal for the hot and sunny weather, there’s a new waterplay area as well with a crocodile sculpture.

Little kids aren’t left out either, as there is an area with timber houses, play ships and a large sandpit for toddlers.

Andy Williams, Park Manager for Kensington Gardens said: “We know that children across London, the UK and the world have been eagerly awaiting the reopening of this playground, and we can’t wait to see their reactions when they visit. We know they will absolutely love it.

“This playground has been thoughtfully designed so that children of all abilities and interests can find something that appeals to them.

“Children can once again splash, swing, climb and hide in this almost two-acre playground set amongst sub-tropical planting.”

He added: “This incredibly popular playground has a capacity of 450 people and with UK schools now on summer break, we are expecting more people to visit than usual.

“Therefore, there may be lengthy queues across the week, but especially at weekends.”

A MULTI-MILLION pound attraction is set to open in the UK – taking over an abandoned ski resort.

Around a mile from the city centre, Sheffield Ski Village closed over a decade ago and has been left abandoned since.

Now, under new plans the ski village will be transformed into a £20million attraction with a luge ride, a family playground and future plans for a zip line and surfing experience.

Located at Parkwood Springs, the first phase would include building a gravity-fed downhill karting attraction, also known as a luge.

This phase would also include a playground, a spot to grab a drink or bite to eat and an indoor attraction called ‘Beat the Storm’ – though details about what this is are yet to be revealed.

Later phases would then focus on opening a zipline and a surfing experience, as well as potentially reopening the dry slopes.

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Skyline Enterprises – the New Zealand-based adventure tourism company behind the attraction – state on a website dedicated to the project that it would be “one of the city’s most exciting new leisure destinations”.

It adds: “Whether you want to ride down the hillside, explore the trails, grab a bite to eat, or simply see your city from a brand-new angle, Skyline Sheffield will have something for everyone.”

The ski village opened back in 1998 and used to be a training base for British Winter Olympians.

However, it has been closed since 2012 after a fire destroyed most of the village.

And over the years there have been plans to transform it into an outdoor activity centre.

However, this never materialised and the current plans to open it as an attraction have been discussed over the past decade.

A planning application is expected to be submitted later this year.

Geoff McDonald, CEO of Skyline Enterprises, said: “We know that Parkwood Springs has been a challenging site to bring forward over the years, but with strong support from Sheffield City Council and an experienced project team on board, the pieces are now in place to deliver something truly special for the city.”

Councillor Fran Belbin, Leader of Sheffield City Council, said: “Our plans to transform Parkwood Springs into a vibrant and thriving area of the city are continuing to move forward, and Skyline’s plans for the old Ski Village site remain a focal point of the work we are doing.

“The site has had many false starts over the years, but I am now delighted to see the latest proposed details for their facility.”

A BELOVED play area in Kent is set to open next week after months of closure.

The largest free playground in the south east has undergone an enormous upgrade and now has a new climbing frame, slides, swings and picnic tables.

The playground at the Lower Leas Coastal Park between Folkestone and Sandgate has been undergoing a £750,000 revamp since April.

Part of the area was forced to close much earlier in 2024 due to a landslip.

The local council announced its reopening on social media: “The exciting new Lower Leas Coastal Park play area has taken an extra week longer than planned, but we’re looking good for an opening by Friday 31 July.

“Details about an official launch event with free goodies on Tuesday 4 August will be announced very soon.

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“With £750,000 invested in the first major refurbishment of the district’s flagship play area since the year 2000, we’re excited to unveil this fantastic new space and help make the rest of your summer one to remember.”

In the comments, one local wrote: “Our kids love this park can’t wait to see it!”

Images have shown construction on the playground is almost complete and it will have a huge wooden climbing frame with at least two slides, rope ladders and swings.

Dotted around the outside will be picnic tables with buggy and cycle parking.

Proludic Ltd led the scheme to upgrade what is described as the south east’s largest free adventure playground.

Aside from the play area, the Coastal Park also has a formal garden and a peaceful wildlife zone.

Work to fully reopen the playground began in April of this year after cliff stabilisation work was completed following landslides.

The previous play area which had wooden towers, slide and ziplines had been there since 2000.

Talking about plans for the playground earlier in the year, the local council said it will have “more inclusive elements than ever before in the south east’s largest free adventure playground, an exciting new era is now just around the corner.”